Training simulators are increasingly used to train maintenance personnel for the operation of a power station and to train them about exceptional situations and critical operating states which can occur during the actual operation of the power station. Whereas in the past such simulators were almost exclusively used in large plants which, in terms of their construction and operation, are generally individual solutions, nowadays simulators are also increasingly used for training purposes even in smaller plants. In particular, they are used in the case of gas and steam plants, which are very similar in terms of their basic mode of operation, even given a different embodiment.
In order to simulate the operation of a power station plant as realistically as possible on a computer, it is necessary to simulate both the process engineering process which proceeds in a real power station and relates to the operating behavior and interaction of the power station components, and also the automation engineering process, which includes the process control system used for operation and control with its automation and operation and observation components, with the aid of complex software.
The outlay necessary for this purpose normally requires a gigantic computing power of the simulation computer used. The hardware for the simulation computer has to be constructed, installed and maintained at every training location.
Such training simulators, installed on site, are normally only used for part of the time.